Bliss

Day 4 of the Photo101 challenge is to show an image that represents Bliss.

What is your idea of bliss? Is it an image of your family, laughing at the dinner table? A state of total relaxation, while lying on the beach? Your latest painting, drying on the canvas?


In this picture I am relaxing under the palm trees looking over the bay after a cycle – bliss.

Relaxing by the bay, under the palm trees after a cycle.
Relaxing by the bay, under the palm trees after a cycle tour to the mainland.     Investigating led us to a small island called Brickell Key.

 

 

Water

WATER – A source of life. A place of recreation. A calming presence, but also a destructive force.

We have different relationships to and stories about water: how it has saved or defeated us. How it reminds us of family vacations, outdoor adventures, or the hot summers of our childhood. How it might also symbolize a place we’ve left behind, or a location we dream to go.


Here are a couple of pictures depicting life on the ocean wave. Being near the water is relaxing, fun and invigorating.

Water Taxi - a great way to travel
View from the Water Taxi – a great way to travel
Island on the Water
Island on the Water – mysterious and calm island sanctuaries that can only be reached from the water.

 

Home

Today I’m starting the Photo101 Challenge where you post a photo a day based on a particular topic.

The first topic is HOME.

Home is elusive. When we think about this word, we might picture different physical locations. And while home is often found on a map, it can also be less tangible: a loved one, a state of mind.

This is an interesting one as my birth home is the UK but my new home for the last three years has been the U.S. They are two completely different places but here is a picture showing where home is right now – Miami Beach.

Ocean Drive
Panorama: Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

It’s a great place to be!


So how did I take this picture?

Since the introduction of iOS 6 it’s possible to take great panorama photos right inside your iPhone’s native camera app. The panorama feature only works with iPhone 4S, iPhone 5 and the latest generation iPod touch, so if you have an older device you have to use another panorama app.

I love the panoramic feature that is available on the iPhone. Sometimes you just want to capture your whole view.

Have you used the Panoramic option on your iPhone yet?

In order to access the panorama feature, open your iPhone’s Camera app, tap on Options, and choose Panorama. This will launch the panorama mode. Once you tap capture, slowly and steadily move your phone from left to right. You will see a guide line – this will help you keep your phone steady and produce a much straighter final result.


If you enjoyed this article you may be interested in finding out more about Miami in the following posts:-

Miami Beach on a Budget

The Best Places to Eat in Miami Beach

The Most Tasty Cocktails

The Wild Green Parrots of Miami Beach

 

What Hides Within

Welcome…you managed to find me in the vast w.w.w universe, so now you’re here you may be wondering whether you should invest your valuable time and little grey cells exploring further. I hope this mini tour helps you discover a sample of some of the topics that hide within…


Cycling – As I’ve had some kind of bicycle most of my life, my posts on this subject will be a mix of my adventures and the places I visit as well as how my bicycle has become a big part of my everyday life. The useful products that I’ve discovered to help make cycling fun and some pictures of my journey. Check out my latest post My Purple Electra Townie Bicycle

Drawing – I never thought I could draw (I still think that…I mean I’m no Michelangelo) but then I started drawing with various apps on my iPad and the more I practiced the more confident I became that maybe I did have some hidden talent. My husband says he can see a certain style in my drawings and I just think everything looks like a cartoon (well apart from the ones that are trying to be a cartoon) but I will share my doodles here from time-to-time and maybe I will inspire you to unlock your inner Michelangelo.

You can find more of my drawings here

I’m venturing back into the wonderful world of using a pencil and paper which comes with it’s own quirks so look out for my articles on that subject soon.

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Why Travelling Banana?

Are you curious about the name Travelling Banana?

Did you know there are ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that depict people with bananas?
Did you know there are ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs that depict people with bananas?

There was a time if I went on a journey I would pop a banana in my bag in case I needed an energy boost. However, sometimes I would forget it was there – so the banana would come with me on my adventures and invariably end up back home uneaten and a little worse for wear.

Each time I would take a banana with me it would become known as the Travelling Banana, an expression my husband came up with.

My tagline, Creative Exploring, covers the diverse range of topics that I am interested in and the creative pursuits that I am exploring such as drawing, photography, art, writing, knitting and technology. I also cover my cycling adventures and throw in a recipe or two along the way.

Enjoy!

 

My Purple Electra Townie Bicycle

It's so much fun exploring by bicycle especially when it's purple!
It’s so much fun exploring by bicycle especially when it’s purple!

My main form of transport these days is no longer horse-power but foot power. Last year we purchased a couple of Electra Townie bicycles – one in purple and one in green. They incorporate Electra’s patented flat-foot technology and an upright seated position which redefines how you cycle. It’s more comfortable to ride and the leg and pedal placing seems to be in a natural position for your leg to rest as you cycle.

On a normal bike your feet are angled backwards but on my Electra Purple Townie 7D Bicycle I don’t feel like my knees or hips are strained or forced into the incorrect position and it helps keep my back straight. The seat position allows me to keep my feet flat on the floor when stationary.

Electra Townie 7D Specifications

LIGHTWEIGHT 6061-T6 ALUMINUM FRAME / SHIMANO TX-35 7-SPEED W/MEGA RANGE GEARING / SHIMANO REVO TWIST SHIFTER / FORGED ALLOY CRANKSET W/44T CHAIN RING & DUAL GUARDS / ALLOY LINEAR-PULL BRAKES / DOUBLE-WALL ALLOY RIMS / 26”X 2.0” SEMI-SLICK STREET TIRES

Miami is a fabulous place to cycle and has it’s own CitiBike/DecoBike program where you can hire bikes from stations dotted around the county. I won’t go into detail here but you can find out about that scheme and other interesting things you can do in Miami in my article Miami Beach on a Budget. It’s a wonderful program for both locals and visitors alike. If you don’t own a bike or are short on storage space you can still participate in a healthier way to travel. All you have to do is find a docking station so you don’t need to worry about carrying locks or finding somewhere to leave your bike.

Stay Active Sightseeing
Stay Active Sightseeing

However, there are some limitations. Sometimes, at peak or busy times of the year, you may struggle to find a station with enough bikes. The second problem is they may not be working and then finding a docking station that is conveniently located to where you wish to go can become frustrating. Even with some of these problems, it is a great initiative and a step in the right direction which is more than can be said for other parts of the U.S. I don’t mean that in a detrimental way – but we all know the U.S is a big car loving country and walking and cycling is not high up on the list of cool ways to get around. Maybe I can bring you over to the wild side so you can start to think of this as an alternative to get around. It’s cheaper, it’s fun, you can stop anywhere you want without having to pay expensive parking fees, you get fresh air and may even lose some weight along the way.

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The Most Tasty Cocktails

When you visit Miami Beach you can not leave before tasting a cocktail or two.

To help you make the decision I’ve picked a selection of hand-crafted tasty cocktails to make your evening not only memorable, but a colorful one.

However, you don’t have to wait until you’re at the beach or on vacation. If you’re lucky enough to have a bar handy at home check out the selection and if you’re missing a bottle or two you’ll be well armed for your next shopping trip so you’ll know the right ingredients to buy so that you can give some of these a whirl.

I’ve listed the classic ingredients that go into each one so you can impress your guests the next time you throw a party or want to show your drink expertise and knowledge when you’re out on the town.

I’ll also reveal what glass your drink should be served, whether it’s on or off the rocks and what garnish should be added to complete the look.

Cheers!

cocktail-mojito
The best on hot sunny days and evenings

The Mojito is the most famous drink to have whilst visiting the beaches and sits at the top of my list.

This classic recipe consists of:

4 cl (4 parts) White rum
3 cl (3 parts) Fresh lime juice
6 leaves of Mint
2 teaspoons Sugar
Soda Water

Lime not your thing? No problem, check out the strawberry version in this article.

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Miami Beach on a Budget

Add Miami Beach to your dream vacation destination list as I uncover how to save money and keep within your budget. What are you waiting for, grab the sunscreen and order a Mojito the beach awaits.

You CAN visit Miami on a Budget

Save Money in the Sun
Save Money in the Sun

When you think about Miami as a destination, do you also add the words, expensive, too rich for my pocket, unaffordable, way out of my league…love to visit, but lets go somewhere else?

Are you torn between re-mortgaging the house and breaking into the kids college fund because those white sandy beaches, clear blue sea and cloudless sun drenched sky are just reaching out to you?

Well, it’s no longer a dream, you can take a trip to Miami. So, grab the sunscreen, your bathing costume and get packing as I’m going to reveal how you can you do Miami on a Budget and still have change left over to treat yourself to your favorite cocktail.

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The Best Places to Eat in Miami Beach

Have you ever visited somewhere and really wanted to know where the locals hang out? Where are all the great places hiding when you’re only visiting for a day or two? Let me uncover the Miami secrets.

Eat Like A Local

Have you ever visited somewhere and really wanted to know where the locals hang out?Miami Beach Welcome Sign

Where are all the great places hiding when you’re only visiting for a day or two for a Conference or Meeting?

It can become pretty boring very quickly eating in the hotel restaurant every day so you need some insider tips in discovering the best places to eat and explore the area.

You may be lucky enough to be there longer, on a vacation for two weeks or three weeks but the guidebooks only go so far – you need a friend on the inside.

Look no further – the culinary delights and best spots to dine are within your reach – this is just between you and me so don’t tell everyone!

Bon Appetit and Welcome to Miami

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